How to Fish Beginner Guide
How to Fish throws you onto an island with almost nothing and one goal: earn enough to get home. The first hour comes down to a single loop - catch a creature, fight it, sell it, and spend the money on gear that makes the next island easier. Do it right and you reach the shotgun and the second island fast.
The Core Loop
Every island follows the same rhythm: cast your line to hook a creature, finish the fight with your equipped weapon, sell the catch, and spend the money on upgrades. Quest givers hand out objectives that open the next island - usually by beating a boss and returning its trophy.
The mistake that hurts new players most is saving for an expensive gun instead of buying cheap. The Knife clears early crabs, and one upgraded weapon beats owning every gun at base level.
Your First Hour
Set up this loop and you have a working income before the first boss.
| Step | What To Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Learn to cast (LMB) and land a catch on the starter island |
| 2 | Fight and sell your first fish |
| 3 | Buy the Knife and clear early crabs |
| 4 | Do the Brass Knuckles ($58) + Beer ($12) money skip |
| 5 | 360 trick-shot every creature for the double bonus |
| 6 | Buy and upgrade the Shotgun before moving on |
Early Money Tips
Trick shots double the sale bonus - spin mid-air before the killing shot and you earn noticeably more per catch. The roulette and slot machine are high-risk gambles; the community treats them as fun money, not income. Eat cooked fish to heal instead of wasting money on consumables when you can grill for free.
What Comes Next
Once you have the shotgun, follow the quest line: find the five leeches on island 2 for the farmer, beat the Spider Crab, and hand in the trophy. The boss guide on this site has the full order and tactics for every fight to the final whale.
FAQ
What should I buy first in How to Fish?
Buy the Knife first. It is cheap and clears early crabs reliably. After that, skip the pistol and work toward the Brass Knuckles + Beer money skip and the upgraded Shotgun.
How do I make money fast in How to Fish?
Sell every catch, then 360 trick-shot every creature for the double bonus. The community skip is Brass Knuckles ($58) upgraded once plus a Beer ($12) to farm easy fish quickly.
How do I get to the second island?
Complete the quests on the starter island, then beat the Spider Crab boss and hand in its trophy (not meat chunks) to the quest giver.
Where are the leeches in How to Fish?
Five leeches spawn on the ground of the second island. Search the whole island - if some are missing, you have not found every spawn spot.